The 1931 AAA National Championship Trail was the top-level American open-wheel racing series sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA). The season consisted of seven championship races, beginning with the Indianapolis 500 on May 30, 1931, and concluding with the Syracuse 100 on September 12, 1931. The championship included a mix of dirt, brick, and board oval races, reflecting the dominant forms of American oval racing in that era. The marquee event of the season was the Indianapolis 500, where Louis Schneider took the victory and went on to secure the overall AAA National Championship title for the year. Schneider’s success at Indianapolis established the strong points foundation that carried him through the season. Other races on the calendar featured victories by notable drivers including Louis Meyer, Lou Moore, Jimmy Gleason, and Shorty Cantlon, each of whom won individual rounds such as the Detroit 100 and various Altoona events. The championship schedule also included one non-championship race, the Roby 100, won by Schneider, but it did not count toward the national title standings. Tragically, the season was marked by fatalities; driver Jimmy Gleason was killed during practice at Syracuse shortly after capturing a heat race win at Altoona. Overall, the 1931 season highlighted the era’s mix of racing surfaces and the competitive field of American drivers vying for national honors on the AAA trail.
May 30, 1931
July 4, 1931